By Nichola Groom

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore scoffed at President Bush's plan to send astronauts to the moon and Mars and said Bush was a "moral coward" for ignoring global environmental threats.

Speaking at an event sponsored by political advocacy groups MoveOn.org and Environment2004, Gore said Bush's record on the environment routinely puts the wishes of the coal, oil, utility and mining industries ahead of public interests.

"Instead of spending enormous sums of money on an unimaginative and retread effort to make a tiny portion of the moon habitable for a handful of people, we should focus instead on a massive effort to ensure that the Earth is habitable for future generations," Gore said to a cheering Manhattan crowd. [...]

[...] SPACE.com: When is the best time for NASA to send humans to Mars, if at all?

Gore: I firmly believe that sending humans to Mars must be a goal that we achieve in the 21st century. In fact, I think we should use the International Space Station as a testing ground for possible voyages. We also know that to make future missions affordable, we have to dramatically lower the cost of space exploration. This is why I have fought hard to support a $4 billion space transportation initiative for NASA in this year's budget.

However, before we commit to a mission, we must be certain that our astronauts can make the journey safely, withstanding the effects of zero gravity and solar radiation during the prolonged flight. [...]